DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figures 27F-27O, some of the writing is difficult to read, and the figures show black boxes that cover some elements in the drawings. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 33, 38, 48, are objected to because of the following informalities: The claims depend from claim 27; however, there is no claim 27. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 28-32, 40-43 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Torok (US 5,108,301).
With respect to claim 28, Torok discloses a locking cord cap for securing an electrical connection between a male connector having one or more contact prongs and a female connector having one or more contact receptacles for receiving said prongs (electrical cord connector 10 with locking mechanism), said locking cord cap comprising: a male connector housing having a forward end for engaging said female connector (figure 1 discloses male connector to engage with female connectors), wherein said one or more prongs extend from said forward end (prongs 28), and peripheral surfaces, extending transversely in relation to said forward end, said peripheral surfaces defining a spatial envelope of said housing relative to a reference plane of said forward end; a locking mechanism, mounted on said male connector housing, for selectively securing said male and female connectors together in a secured state and releasing said male and female connectors in a release state so that they can be separated (figures 2-3 disclose plungers and springs to secure the male and female connectors together); and an actuator for moving said locking mechanism between said secured state and said release state, said actuator contained within said spatial envelope relative to said reference plane (actuator disc 16 moves the locking mechanism between a lock and release state).
With respect to claim 29, Torok discloses the locking cord cap of claim 28, wherein an extent of said spatial envelope relative to said reference plane is defined by perpendicularly projecting said peripheral surfaces onto said reference plane and said reference plane is unlimited relative to an axis perpendicular to said reference plane. Figures 1-5 disclose peripheral surfaces onto reference plane.
With respect to claims 30, 41, Torok discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims, wherein said locking mechanism includes a locking element that is movable relative to said male connector housing towards and away from said reference plane. Figure 1 discloses that the locking mechanism/locking element is movable.
With respect to claims 31, 42, Torok discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims, wherein said locking element moves in response to rotating said actuator in relation to said male connector housing. Figures 1-3 disclose that the locking mechanism/locking element is rotated.
With respect to claims 32, 43, Torok discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims, wherein said locking cord cap further includes a ramp for forcing said locking element against a surface of said female connector as a locking element moves to said secured state. Figures 1 and 3 disclose ramps 36 for securing the connector against a female connector, and thus providing a secured state.
With respect to claim 40, Torok discloses the apparatus necessary to complete the recited method steps, as discussed above in the rejection of claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 33-39, 44-48 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torok (US 5,108,301) in view of Grieff et al. (US 2010/00035481).
With respect to claims 33, 34, 44, Torok discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims; except for, wherein said male connector housing is formed as a first housing portion and a second housing portion that are interconnected to form said male connector housing, wherein said first housing portion and said second housing portion snap together.
Grieff discloses a male electrical plug connector housing with a lock mechanism to lock or release the connector. The connector comprises a first and second housing that snap together, see figures 1, 3-5.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Torok and include the housings of Grieff, for the purpose of providing a different, more convenient way, to assemble together the adapter, for example (paragraph 0056).
With respect to claims 35, 45, Torok in view of Grieff discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims, wherein said actuator extends about said first and second housing portions. Figures 2-3 disclose that the locking mechanism extends about the housings.
With respect to claims 36, 37, 46, 47, Torok in view of Grieff discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims, wherein said first and second housing portions extend about an electrical cord and said locking cord cap further includes a flexible strain relief extending between said male connector housing and said electrical cord for relieving stress on a portion of said electrical cord, wherein said strain relief is formed from a plastic material and includes openings to provide a desired amount of flexibility. Grieff discloses in figure 22, paragraphs 0049 disclose flexible strain relief (plastic, rubber) extending from the connector.
With respect to claims 38, 39, 48, Torok in view of Grieff discloses the locking cord cap of one of the claims; except for, one or more identification rings removably connected to and extending about said peripheral surfaces, and comprising structure for retaining said identification rings on said peripheral surfaces.
Grieff discloses in figure 1 that the plug adapter comprises ribs 76.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Torok and include the ribs of Grieff in the housing of Torok and thus provide a ring around the housing of Torok, to identify/grip the device, for example.
Claim(s) 49-51 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torok (US 5,108,301) in view of Burton (US 2004/0147157).
With respect to claim 49, Torok discloses a method for using a ganged receptacle device having multiple receptacles for receiving male cord caps, comprising: providing first and second locking cord caps, each said cord cap comprising a male connector housing, a locking mechanism mounted on said male connector housing for selectively securing said male connector housing to said ganged receptacle device and releasing said male cord cap from said ganged receptacle device (electrical cord connector 10 with locking mechanism), and an actuator for moving said locking mechanism between a secured state and a release state, wherein said actuator is rotatable in relation to said male connector housing (actuator disc 16 moves/rotates the locking mechanism between a lock and release state).
Torok; however, does not expressly disclose first and second locking cord caps, first plugging said first cord cap into a first receptacle of said ganged receptacle device; first operating a first actuator of said first cord cap to secure said first cord cap to said ganged receptacle device; second plugging said second cord cap into a second receptacle of said ganged receptacle device adjacent to said first receptacle; and second operating a second actuator of said second cord cap to secure said second cord cap to said ganged receptacle device; wherein said step of second operating is executed without interference between said first and second actuators.
Burton discloses a securing device for electrical connectors/adapters provided on the male connector. Figures 13-18 disclose a plurality of receptacles to receive a plurality of lockable connectors/adapters.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Torok and include the plurality of connectors/adapters of Burton, for the purpose of plugging more than one device at a time, for example.
With respect to claim 50, Torok in view of Burton discloses the method of claim 49, wherein said first actuator comprises first radially extending elements, said second actuator comprises second radially extending elements, and said first and second radially extending elements mesh when said first and second cord caps are plugged into said ganged receptacle device and in said secured state. Figures 2-3 of Torok disclose that the locking mechanism extends about the housings.
With respect to claim 51, Torok in view of Burton discloses the method of claim 49, wherein each of said first and second cord caps comprises a male connector housing having a forward end for engaging said ganged receptacle device and peripheral surfaces defining a spatial envelope of said housing relative to a reference plane of said forward end, and said actuator is contained within said spatial envelope. Figures 1-3disclose male connector for engaging ganged receptacles and peripheral surfaces onto reference plane comprising the actuator.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Warren, Sr. et al. (US 5,082,450) discloses a safety plug with a lock mechanism provided on the electrical plug.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836